Job costing and estimation

Estimate a gravure job before the cylinders are cut, and know its real cost after

Quoting the wrong rate is the quietest way to lose money in a printing plant. RotoPilot estimates each job from its structure and size, then compares the estimate with what the job actually used.

Quotations with taxable value, GST, total and status

Estimation

  • Structure layer by layer: film, thickness, GSM, ink coverage and adhesive
  • Print width, repeat, number of colours and cylinder cost spread over the order
  • Setting and running wastage allowances
  • Machine-hour rates for printing, lamination, slitting and pouching
  • Rate per kg, per thousand or per piece, with margin, saved as a revision

Actual job cost

Every kilogram of film and ink issued to the job is costed at the rate of the batch it came from, first in, first out. Returns go back to the same batch. Wastage, machine time and factory costs such as power and labour are added, and the job is set against its invoiced value.

The job cost sheet shows estimate against actual line by line, so the next quotation for the same customer starts from real numbers.

Reports owners use

  • Job profitability by customer and by month
  • Wastage by job, machine, shift and operator
  • Material consumed against material planned
  • Exports to Excel and PDF

Questions

How do you calculate the cost of a gravure printing job?

Add the material (each film layer, ink and adhesive by weight), the cylinder cost spread over the quantity, the press and converting time at machine-hour rates, wastage, and overheads. RotoPilot does this from the job's structure and size, and later from the actual material issued.

Can it show cost per kg?

Yes. Estimates and job cost can be shown per kg, per thousand pieces or per piece.

Does it use FIFO for material cost?

Yes. Material issued to a job is taken from the oldest batch first, each at its own purchase rate.

More about RotoPilot

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